Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin Named Gatorade POYs for Their Respective States

Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin Named Gatorade POYs for Their Respective States

Congrats to 2013 Michigan basketball signees Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin for being named Gatorade Player of the Year for the states of Michigan and Indiana, respectively. The winners were "selected based on athletic production and impact in season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership."

“Derrick Walton’s work ethic and determination is absolutely phenomenal,” said Chandler Park athletic director John Jergovich. “He’s here every morning at 6 a.m. before school starts taking shots and working on his game. He’s a go-getter on and off the court. Once he sets his goals, both athletically and academically, he’ll do anything to reach them.”

“Zak Irvin is the best player I’ve seen all year, maybe the best I’ve seen in many years,” said Doug Mitchell, head coach at North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.). “He can get a shot any time he wants, he is in superb condition and he loves to play defense.”

Apparently not until the first or second week of April. The voting just started a couple days ago. This article has some details on the voting—and on the likely candidates—but doesn't give the specific dates.

I have just decided that I am no longer going to let myself be saddled by trying to be objective when it comes to Michigan. Therefore, it's obvious that the Gatorade PotY award is more important and relevant than Mr Basketball, because the Gatorade voters got it right and the Mr Basketball voters in Michigan got it wrong.

"Jimmy will tell you I’m going to beat you and then you know what he does, he goes out and beats you. That’s who Jim Harbaugh is. He’s going to tell you he’s going to beat you and then he’ll beat you.”

This is excellent news, and congratulations to both of Derrick Walton and Zak Irvin. It's doubly great in a way, for as we are here congratulating members of the present roster for various achievements, we can now congratulate future members of the roster for various things as well - that makes me quite excited about the next few years of Michigan basketball.

"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."

The comments from North Central head coach Doug Mitchell should get every Michigan fan excited. In a separate interview Mitchell said Eric Gordon and Zak Irvin were the two best players he has ever seen. This is coming from a guy that has coached former Indiana Mr. Basketball's Jason Gardner (college at Arizona), AJ Ratliff (Indiana), Eric Gordon (Indiana), as well as coaching against NBA players Courtney Lee, Rodney Carney, Mike Conley Jr., Greg Oden, Jeff Teague, Josh McRoberts, and George Hill, to name a few.

Gordon was a one and done, and has done well for himself in the Show. I would love for Irvin to be that good but stick around more than a year. An interesting detail: Gordon is represented by sports agent Rob Pelinka, a former Michigan Basketball Player, Michigan Law grad, and the rep for Kobe and a number of other lottery picks. It would be interesting to get an interview from Pelinka asking his thoughts on college basketball, one and dones, and the NBA.

“Top to bottom Michigan is about excellence, greatness. You have my pledge I will carry forward the excellence of Michigan football." Jim Harbaugh, December 30, 2014

Someone sorta posted it above, but I mean, let's reflect... if GR3 stays (and the talking heads all seem to say "he should, even though he'd be a first rounder on potential") and if THJ also stays (because, well, he should), then:

1: Walton, Albrecht

2: Stauskas, Irvin, Lavert

3: THJ, GRIII

4-5: Morgan, McGary, Bielfeldt, Horton

Egads that's a good team -- assuming Walton:2013-2014::0.5*Burke:2011-2012

I just don't see JB using those guys at the 4/5. There's no perimeter threat in those 4 players. I think he likes his 4 to be a perimeter threat. We might WANT him to play that line-up, but I don't think we'll see it that often.

We go over this every year... No matter how much fans clamor for it, Beilein is not going to play two bigs for a majority of the minutes. It's just not going to happen. Having a 4 who can stretch the defense is critical to his offense.

And GRIII would need a lot of work to play the 3. He can't even dribble drive on the 4's he plays against now.

GRIII is a natural 3. he is playing out of position and not put in position to dribble past the 4's that guard him. If he plays more on wing and not on the baseline then you would see his wing forward skills more. Why do u think he a projected 1st rounder? its because of his natural build and skills to be a wing player.

Their sectional is probably the hardest in the state of Indiana. North Central, Carmel (where Stu Douglass attended high school) and HSE are 3 of the top 5 programs in the state every year, and they are all in the same sectional.

I sat next to Irvin and his dad at a home game against Penn State while they were visiting Michigan in January of 2011. His dad grilled me on my experience at Michigan and I gave nothing but glowing reviews (obviously) of the combination of academics and athletics. I think his dad was already sold to be honest, but that was my small contribution to recruiting Irvin ;) Go blue tonight!